


Room 421

by guilt_is_for_mortals



Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/F, Gen, Getting Together, Halloween parties, Idiots in Love, M/M, Mutual Pining, Not Actually Unrequited Love, On my God they were Roommates, Pining, Roommates, The University AU nobody asked for, Unrequited Love, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-29
Updated: 2019-12-16
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:47:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,244
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21606271
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/guilt_is_for_mortals/pseuds/guilt_is_for_mortals
Summary: Jon is getting a new roommate. Jon absolutely doesn NOT need or want a roommate.Jon absolutely does not need or want a roommate who studies art and poetry.The man reads Keats, for Christ's sake!
Relationships: Georgie Barker/Melanie King, Martin Blackwood/Jonathan Sims
Comments: 15
Kudos: 67





	1. The Middle

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to Room 421, the Universtiy AU Jonmartin Fanfic nobody asked for ;)  
> These two will be the end of my, I swear.
> 
> I will try my best to update weekly (exams at uni coming up, so I cant promise, I am sorry!)
> 
> I am only at the second episode of season 3, so please forgive me if there are things  
> Out of Character or Canonically wrong, because I am spoilered about a bit, but not all!  
> It is an AU after all, so yeah... I really hope you enjoy!

It was the last day of summer holidays, a warm and sunny day that did not yet show that autumn was waiting just around the corner. As lectures were about to begin tomorrow, waves of students flooded the campus. Jon Sims realized that with a bit of annoyance. He had worked an internship at the university’s library and stayed here all summer, learning, reading under the great oak in the park with no chattering students to disturb him. It had been rather peaceful.

Now there were taxis, cars, people being dropped off by their parents, people with suitcases and furniture and he could hear at least three different people trying to drill something into their wall in his very dorm building alone. He still had to write at least two articles for the semester first edition of the Magnus Weekly, the university's student newspaper, which he and his friends worked for. He even dreamed of getting the position of Head Of this year. He was not sure if he could work with all this trouble around him. Maybe he should call Tim or Sasha… they shared a flat of campus and it was much quieter there. (At least when Tim was sleeping.)

Making his way through loud people and furniture standing in the way, Jon hoped to soon reach his room, number 421, which was the last one on the right side, right up in the fourth floor. The fourth floor was nice, as the ceilings were a bit higher, it was a bit more quiet and he had a beautiful view from his window. The last year he had been lucky to have it completely for himself. Alex, his supposed roommate, had slept in the room exactly the first night he spent on campus, got himself a girlfriend the next day and had never shown up again, at least not when Jon was there. It had been quite perfect.

He himself had also had a girlfriend, Georgie, for a few months. It did not work out, as it always did when Jon tried something with feelings or relationships. Strange enough they still managed to stay friends, as Georgie was one of those people who actually got him and realized that it was nothing… personal, that their romance wasn’t meant to be. They were… just not right. It was not a month later when Georgie started dating Melanie… Jon tried to not think about that particular woman too much. Made his blood pressure rise. Melanie with her ghost stuff...

As he returned from the library and entered the dorm building, Rosie, the older lady who took care of everything regarding their keys, rooms and electricity and such, came up to him with a slightly exhausted smile.  
„Always a busy day, first day, isn’t it?“ she asked Jon.  
  
„Quite right,“ he answered and already wanted to walk on by, not disturbing her any further. She was nice enough and sometimes invited him for a cup of tea in the summer, when he had been the only one around to talk a bit. Jon did not mind… that much. Even he had to stop working and studying sometimes.

„I fear I have some news for you, Jon.“ Her words made him stop and turn back around.  
  
„Dear Alex decided to finally cancel his rooming here and lots of new folks starting tomorrow…“  
Jon had not been smiling to begin with and his face just got more and more blank and almost horrified.  
Alex moved out. And that meant…  
  
„You are going to have new roommate, my dear Jon.“ Rosie seemed to know quite well that this were no good news to him.  
  
„His name is… Max… no, Martin it is.“ She nods slightly to herself, checking a piece of paper in her hands.  
  
„Will move in today I guess. Just to warn you… I gotta hurry now, I will see you around.“ And with just that she went to check on some other first semester trying to squeeze a sofa into his dorm room.  
A roommate. The day had started so nice…

—-

Martin was beyond excited! He had made it to university, finally, after thinking he would never be able to attend. He had dropped out of High School to care for his sick mother when he was only 17. He did not want to study anything fancy where he would need nice marks, did not think about actually studying at all, so he did not actually care all that much. But his mom‘s condition got word way faster than the doctors had thought… he was not even 19 when she passed away.

Being alone and not knowing what he should do with his life, he sold the tiny house that had belonged to his mother and went back to school, moving into a tiny shoebox of a room somewhere. It was a hard work, taking evening classes, working the day, but being busy kept his mind of being lonely. Martin made it in the end. Got his High School Degree and applied for art and poetry classes at the University, though not thinking he’d actually have a chance of making it. When the letter arrived, he started crying all over it. The first really good thing to happen to him in a long time. It would be his fresh start. He got a room at a dorm with a roommate that wouldn’t be too expensive. Martin would meet lots of new people and everything would be a bit nicer from here on. He could leave it all behind.

And it seemed so perfect. It was a bright early autumn day, still warm enough to not need a jacket. The whole campus was full of people, young people just his age, hugging, talking, carrying suitcases just like he did. Many where here with their parents, which struck his heart a bit, but it was not to bad. He missed his mom, but it had been over year. And the many years before had been… well… not exactly good. But he was here now. That’s all that counted, right?

He found the house his dorm room should be in. It was pretty brickwork with white wooden windows and ivy climbing up the walls. A list hanging on the front door declared his room to be on the fourth floor, room 421. It took him a while to carry the heavy suitcase up the stairs, he felt hot and a bit out of breath as he finally made it to the door. Martin fumbled for the key that a tiny lady - Rosie - had given him downstairs and opened the door just as it was swung open from someone on the other side.

Martin and the guy who must be his roommate stared at each other for a few seconds, not speaking, just… eying the person in front of them. The guy was tiny, at least a full head smaller than Martin and also very skinny. Dark hair, glasses, a frown on his face, sharp cheekbones. He also was wearing the most hideous patterned jumper Martin had ever seen.


	2. What is this Feeling?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this is earlier then I told I would update, but I got such nice comments  
> and motivation hit me, sooo... here is the second chapter!
> 
> Featuring Melanie and Georgie as a lesbian power couple coming to Martins rescue  
> and Jon being insufferable.
> 
> Thank you all so much for reading! <3

The guy was wearing the most hideous shirt Jon had ever seen in his life. Pale blue with a pattern of yellow and green pineapples. He also was huge, chubby and had both reddish-blonde hair and freckles. Great. Jon gave him a look up and down and then moved out of the way to let his new roommate in.

“Oh, it is you,” he said now, rather too late to be polite. “So… bed on the left is mine, yours to the right. I’m… off to work anyways, so… make yourself at home, I guess.” With that he grabbed his bag and practically fled the room. He had not actually wanted to leave for work so soon, but now that this guy was there and was about to move all his stuff around, he did not want to be in this room for the next hours. He had looked like a lost puppy. Hopefully he would not just break anything…

Silently fuming he made his way over to the building he worked in. The basement contained not only the editorial office of the university newspaper, but also the small, improvised studio where Melanie and Georgie recorded their ghost stories. Youtube videos and podcasts... Jon shook his head. He had never understood how people watched that stuff and him and Melanie had gotten into each other's hair more than once about this subject. Melanie claimed that he was jealous because they had a lot more clicks than people read his "boring cheese paper". He claimed she wouldn't even try to bring something true and sophisticated into the world. He and the editorial staff reported on everything of importance that was going on on campus, hosted short story competitions... maybe it wasn't as "hip and cool" as a podcast, but it was much more demanding.

\---

Martin was a bit taken aback by the rough nature of his roommate. He had just… left. Left him standing there in this very empty room. Martin didn’t even know his name. Curiosity took the best of him, and he took a few steps towards the others desk. Everything was very neat, packed into folders, not a pencil laying stray around the surface. He had a lot of books and notebooks, and on one of them he found his roommates name. Jon.

Jon, who had a terrible taste in clothes… were these dark violet corduroy pants? And a paisley pyjama on the bed? Oh well, he shouldn’t be looking all that much at stuff that wasn’t his, he should unpack his own stuff, right? So Martin took out his laptop, plugged it in and turned on old episodes of “Ghost Hunt UK”, a series he knew was made on Campus. Melanie King, who was the head producer, also studied here and he had been in contact with her via mail - she had invited him to visit the studio if he wanted to after a bit of correspondence. Melanie seemed great.

With the videos acting as background noise he started to unpack. Lots of shirts, soft jumpers and jeans. His favorite duvet, his poetry books, notebooks and art supplies. He even had a little cactus in a pretty yellow planter. It did by far not look as polished and clean as Jons side of the room, even now, when he hadn’t really started living here at all, but it was much more homely. Much more Martin. Blankets and a string of fairy lights that he found so pretty… in a moment of panic he thought about them being “to gay”... then he reminded himself that he indeed was gay and he was being ridiculous. Should his strange… librarian of a roommate think whatever he wanted about Martin.

\---

“... and he reads Keats, for Christs sake!” Jon complained for the third time in half an hour. Sasha and Tim exchanged a look. It was late afternoon the next day. None of them had had lectures just yet, most things taking place this day were for the new students and they had a lot to catch up about after being separated for almost all of the holidays. Jon had impatiently waited until both of them had talked about their time with their families or abroad, just so he was the last one and had all the time he needed to rant.

As Jon had returned to his room last evening, everything looked different. The whole right side was packed with… stuff, lights, books… Martins stuff. Their owner sat on his bed in a just as hideous sweater than the shirt had been - it was pink and had yellow dots on it. To make things even worse, he was watching an episode of Ghost Hunt UK with great interest. Martin had paused and looked up at Jon with a stupid little smile as he entered. “Hi… I did not get to introduce myself before… I am Martin.” He sounded friendly, but Jon had had a really, really bad day. As his eyes fell on the poetry book on Martins nightstand - Keats - he just turned around and walked to his own laptop, searching for his earbuds.  
“Please don’t listen to this… show… on speaker. Or anything, really. I am trying to work.” He sat at his desk and tried his best to just ignore Martin being there for the rest of the evening.

“I think I saw him… that Martin... an hour ago or so… redhead you said, freckles, big dreamy eyes?” Tim grinned at Jon, who just rolled his own eyes very hard.  
  
“Think he went into the studio and talked to Melanie…”  
  
“Oh, yes, I am sure he did, he must be their greatest fan,” Jon interrupted him with a sharp tone in his voice.   
  
“He is a nightmare. I do not want a roommate, and he is the worst I could ever have gotten.” Both Sasha and Tim looked at him somewhat sympathetic, but also as if they did not grasp the severity of the problem.

\---

Jon had ignored him the last evening and in the morning. Martin had to get up quite early, he had a lot of introductory events for his courses and he did not want to be late.  
He was sure that Jon had heard him, but he kept his head under his blanket and did not make a sound until Martin had left. This was his fresh start, Martin reminded himself, it would be great. A mopey roommate would not stop him from having a good time.

He met a few people at his classes, but he was quite shy and did not speak to many of them. At lunch he received an email from Melanie to come and stop by, which lightened his mood heavily. The studio was in a spooky basement, but he met a really good looking guy down there, who vanished through a door that said “Magnus Weekly - Editorial Staff”. A campus newspaper! Maybe they would… Martin had a moment of wondering if they would print one of his poems, maybe, if he had a really good one. He should ask Jo-... no, he would probably not ask Jon about it.

“Hey there, you must be Martin!” He flinched and turned around to see a pretty woman standing in front of him, right out the studio door.  
  
“And… you must be Melanie, I mean, of course you are, I saw you on YouTube… hi.” He grinned rather sheepishly, but Melanie just grinned and waved him inside. There was also Georgie, Melanie's girlfriend as far as Martin knew. It made him feel a little easier. The two were also… well… they were lesbians and they were out, and at least in their videos and comments nobody seemed to care all that much about it. Maybe university really was different than High School in that regards.

They showed him around, asked him about his first day and offered him a cup of coffee, which he thankfully accepted. He told them about his day, the classes he took and how he hoped the newspaper would maybe one day print one of his poems. (Why, Martin, he scolded himself, why did you tell them? They are gonna think you are a complete loser…)  
Melanie laughed, and it took Martin an awfully long second to realize that she did so because of the at the mentioning of the newspaper and not because he wrote poems.  
It was not a friendly laugh.  
  
“Jon Sims, printing poems? All he ever publishes are those tragic and strange short stories that disturb people more like our show does…”  
  
“J-Jon is the…”  
  
“The head editor, as of this year, yes…” Melanie squinted at him. “Why, do you know him?”  
  
“He…” Martin turned red, tough he did not exactly know why. Maybe it was Melanie's strange tone, or the way that Georgie looked at him now.  
  
“He... is my roommate.”

There was a moment of silence in the room, than Melanie burst into laughter and even Georgie, who tried to hold back when Melanie was talking shit about Jon, started to giggle.  
  
“Oh… oh this is great!” Mel looked him up and down and shared a look with her girlfriend.  
  
“Oh, yes, you are exactly what Jonathan Sims needs… someone who is exactly his opposite. Oh, I bet he is fuming right now…”  
Martin was grateful that he could tell the two girls about his miserable first evening in his dorm room. He was grateful to know that it did not seem to be his fault exactly, that Jon was just… Jon, as it seemed. Not that this made the situation anymore comfortable for him, but he maybe could somewhat understand, in the end.

“Don’t worry Martin, you can always come here when the old grump treats you badly,” Melanie promised him when they hugged goodbye. “You seem like a decent enough guy… hey, maybe you could even help us with some of the show if you wanted to…”

\---

When Jon finally decided to leave work for the day, the hallway in the basement was lit and the door to the Ghost Hunt Studio was open. He saw Martin standing there, getting hugged by Melanie King, saying goodbye to her and Georgie and leaving.

Of course he did. Of course his two greatest nightmares would team up to torment him this semester. Because at this moment he was sure that there was no one he loathed more in this world than Melanie King… and Martin Blackwood.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This Chapters song is "What is this Feeling?" from the Wicked Musical.


	3. Just a little bit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not soo much action happening this chapter, because these two are idiots who refuse to speak.  
> Next chapter gonna have more action to come, and chapter 5 will get wild!  
> Stay tuned!
> 
> <3

Three weeks went by in a flurry. Martin had so much to do and to learn. He slowly remembered the names of his professors and some of his classmates and he did not get lost all that much around Campus now. About twice a week he spent his lunch or evening with Melanie and Georgie at the studio, fascinated and helping with research a bit - he hoped that they would ask him to join the Ghost Hunt UK team. He considered them his best friends here, the ones who had picked him up after his first day going so wrong.

The whole… “Jon Situation” had not really changed. They saw each other maybe at night and they would both be wearing headphones and ignoring each other. Jon seemed very busy and stayed awake longer and longer, hunched over his laptop at his desk. It had Martin a bit worried, even though it should not bother him all that much. He was sure that Jon would not care at all if it was him staying up, dark shadows under his eyes.

At least they weren’t fighting or something… it was more lonely than hostile in their dorm room. Martin felt alone there, more alone with Jon present than he would feel if he was there just on his own. The two of them carefully ignoring each other, no sound, no looks. It was stupid and Martin somewhat hated the situation, but not Jon himself. 

As much as Melanie told him that Jon was a prick and only cared about himself, he did not fully believe that. Not when Georgie had told him that they had been dating for a couple of months. George was an angel and he just couldn’t believe that Jon could be _that_ bad, when she had been going out with him. It had lead to him waking that night after a dream of what it would be like to kiss Jonathan Sims. He banned all thoughts regarding that matter. Because in the end, it was Jon. And he was an absolute ass towards Martin.

\---

Jon had a lot to do. It was not like he wanted it any other way, he liked to keep busy, to have his lectures and write his articles for the Magnus Weekly, to not have to think too much about Martin or even be in the same room as him. 

But his second year at uni did not only start him with more classes, he now was the Head Off of the university newspaper and it started to stress him out a bit. It had all been nice and fun when all he had to do was write articles. Now he was the one to think of _what_ they would write about, _when_ they would write it. Was the one to manage the budget, to see that all the texts were there in time for printing… he found himself staying up way after midnight more nights than not. 

“At least Martin is keeping quiet now,” he told Tim over a cup of tea in the editors room. Tim sighed.   
  
“Have you ever actually.. talked with the guy?” he asked. “No, really, all you ever tell me is that you ignore each other… when was the last time you actually spoke?”   
Jon starts to think about it,and after almost a minute Tim facepalms so hard that his snapback cap almost fell from his head.   
  
“ _Really_? Maybe the two of you should try to get to know each other? You will share this room for quite some time. What has he really done to you, except for being assigned a bed in your room?”

“You wouldn’t understand,” Jon murmurs, taking a big sip of his tea. “He… he writes poetry and he is up… drawing and painting. He wears the most hideous shirts, really, you should have seen the one he wore yesterday, it was white and had a pattern of zebras. It looked like one of those optical illusion tests they use to find out if you are a smart kid or a stupid one.”

“Alright boss, if you say so.”  
  
“Don’t call me boss.”   
  
“Okay _Jon._ Just sayin’... talk to the man. I couldn’t even say what color of shirt my date had on yesterday - didn’t have it on for long, yeah, but - just try? He was kinda cute last time I saw him.”

Jon left work earlier that day and, thinking about what Tim had said, actually intended to maybe ask Martin what his day had been like… but he was not there when he returned to their room. He did not show up when Jon finally thought of eating something and made some Ramen in the tiny microwave they shared. Did not show up when Jon finally fell into his bed, way after midnight. Maybe he just would not return… that would be nice, wouldn’t it?

\---

Jon was a workaholic, so much was clear to Martin now. The last few days he saw him sitting there at his desk for longer and longer. If he woke up in the middle of the night just to get a sip of water, Jon would still be sitting there, writing, working. Martin was too much of a caring person to watch this go on any longer. 

“Do you… do you also want some tea?” He asks one afternoon, when he just set the electric kettle on and grabbed his favorite mug out of a drawer somewhere.   
  
“Huh?” Jon spun around to him on his chair, pulling his headphones of his head, hair looking disheveled and his face incredibly tired. _He was pretty when he did not have that frown on._ Wait, where was that thought coming from now?   
  
“I was just wondering if you would also like a cup of tea.” He raised the cup in his hand to further explain. 

“Oh…. well… yes, Martin, that would be nice.”  
  
And so Martin got another cup - a blue one with an orange cat on it - and placed in front of Jon when it was ready.   
  
“I don’t have any milk here, but there’s sugar if you need some.”   
It was the first time they spoke with each other in weeks. Almost a conversation one could say. Martin smiled while shaking his head simultaneously. When and when had he started to worry about if he and Jon talked?

He woke again in the middle of that night, his phone announcing the time to be 3:25am. Jons laptop was still on, but as soon as Martin found his glasses and took a better look he realized that Jon must have dropped asleep on top of his keyboard.  
  
“Oh Jon… you really can’t take care of yourself, can you?” The room was cold and Martin shivered as he swung his legs out of the bed and walked over to his sleeping roommate. Almost looking peaceful. Almost. He wasn’t sure if Jon could actually be _peaceful._

Martin just put his hands under Jons arms and tried to lift him of the chair and the few steps over onto his bed. Jon woke, sort of, mumbling.  
  
“What’re you doin..?”   
  
“Getting you to bed. It’s late.”   
  
“ ‘m not goin to bed with you. You look like a prep… you like Melanie King… and poetry.”   
  
“Jon, you’re the one looking like a prep,” Martin answered with a deadpan face. Was this what Jon concerned the most? His choice of clothes?   
  
“... know that… wasn’t cool enough to be a goth.. eyeliner doesn’t suit me…”   
  
With that Martin had managed to get Jon into bed and now was trying to also get him under the blanket. At least he wasn’t wearing shoes they he would have to take off or something.

  
Once Jon was all tucked in, Martin couldn’t help but smile at his roommate lying there curled up like a cat, fast asleep again, cuddling his pillow in his arms.   
  
“Good night, Jon…” He went back to bed himself, falling asleep while trying to imagine what Jon would look like in goth clothes and with black eyeliner. The man looked half dead anyways at the moment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This Chapters song is "Just a litte bit" by Kids of 88


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Extra long chapter to apologize for the longer wait, uni stuff is crazy right now.
> 
> Hope you enjoy <3

“Wait, wait, what do- what do you mean that this is a Halloween Party? Like… a Dress-Up Party?!” Jon stares at Georgie in absolute disbelieve.  
  
“You _knew_ that it would be on October 31st, I mean, I thought you’d figure…”  
  
“I _hate_ Halloween, Georgie, and you know that, and that is why you did not say anything!”  
  
“Look… Jon, look, I wanted you to be at this party? Go out more? Martin told me - don’t give me that look - Martin is coming and you haven’t left your room for anything but work in the last few weeks.”  
Jon grumbled something that does not sound very friendly regarding Martin. He and Georgie are sharing a sandwich, sitting on a bench at lunch, enjoying the last few sunny days before eventually the winter cold would come.   
  
“So you want me to… dress up. As something… scary.” It is not a question, but Georgie nods. “Yes, I would very much like that. It’s gonna be a nice party, we all dress up a little, talk, drink… we’re all gonna be there, Sasha and Tim are coming…”  
  
“Fine.”  
  
“Really?”  
  
“Yes, fine. I will… find a costume. I’ll be there, I promised.” Georgie gives him a quick hug as she stands up to leave for the Studio.  
  
“That is right, you did. See you there then? Love you.” With that she disappears towards the studio, where Jon can see Melanie and Martin waiting just outside the door.  
  
The last few days had been… different. He was unbelievably tired and overworked, and the sandwich has been the first real food he had had in two days. He knew that he had fallen asleep at his desk at least three times this week, but he always woke up in his bed in the morning. The only reasonable explanation was that Martin… that Martin had put him into bed somehow. Jons face grew hot just thinking about it. He did not exactly like to think about it in detail. That Martin must have woken up, seen him there, and… carried him to bed.  
  
He still didn’t really _like_ Martin. But he had to admit that he was not as bad as Jon had anticipated. He was quiet, he kept to himself and did not disturb Jon all that much. He had made him tea the last few days. And of course… he had put him into his bed when he was to overworked to stay awake even a minute longer. Jon just couldn’t figure it out. Why would he do this? He was friends with Georgie and Melanie, and Jon was sure that Melanie would have told Martin exactly what she thought about him. Nothing good, of course.  
  
So why was he nice? Was he one of this terrible people pleasers that just did whatever to make everyone happy? But no, Martin had clearly shown his anger and disdain towards Jon at the beginning. Maybe they just got used to each other. That’s got to be it, right? With a sigh he leaves the bench under the tree behind him and walks over to the editorial room. Time for work. He needed something to stop him thinking about Martin too much. Or even better, to stop him from thinking about whatever stupid costume he should wear to that halloween party. _Costume_ party!  
  
“That must have been Melanie's idea, you can bet…” he mumbles. He wants a cigarette now, so so very much. 

\---

Martin came back into the room pretty late that night. One of the professors - Peter, he wanted them to call him by his first name - was launching a poetry writing project and as unbelievable as it might be, he had chosen Martin to be one of the few to join the group. With his duties at Ghost Hunt UK and his normal classes, he slowly felt like he knew why Jon was falling asleep at his desk at times. At least today he had took the time to go to town and collect all the stuff he would need for his costume. He unpacked everything onto his bed to then put it away and again check that nothing would be missing.  
  
“Are you…” Martin looked up, astonished by Jon acknowledging his presence in the room for once.  
  
“Are you going to Georgies Party dressed up as… Beetlejuice?” Jon asked, brows in a deep frown, eyeing the black and white striped suit, the white face paint and hairspray.  
  
“I… ah… yes? You... know that movie?” Martin didn't think Jon was a person who watched movies at all... not to mention slightly trashy 80's Halloween movies. But it seemed like his roommate wasn't as one-dimensional as he liked to come across.

“I actually sometimes do things just for fun, Martin, it might surprise you,” Jon adds and tries to take a sip of his tea, only now noticing the cup is empty.  
  
“I’ll make some more… you also want some?”  
  
“Sure.”  
  
Now he wondered if Jon had been replaced by aliens. He wondered if they had ever talked about something so trivial... or if Jon ever made tea on his own and asked him if he wanted some as well.  
  
“You know… I am a bit… I might…” Jon sighs, rummaging in the small cupboard where they keep tea and sugar. Martin just busies himself with putting the suit into his wardrobe, giving Jon time to sort his thoughts and words to form a sentence.  
  
“I was wondering... if you might be able to help me choose a costume for the party?” he finally asks, looking pained, as if it was actually hurting him to ask someone for a favour like this. Martin is astonished and perhaps a little confused, but at the same time happy about it.  
  
"Of course... you have... a certain direction in which it should go?" Jon sighed and avoided Martin's gaze, concentrated on pouring the boiling water over the tea.  
  
"No, well, I... something that is not elaborate? I... I'm sure you never would have guessed, but... I am not exactly the type of person who masquerades? Besides... I don't have the time to style myself three hours before the party or some nonsense."  
  
“Sure. How about we just meet tomorrow after work and we’ll see what we find for you? Don’t worry, I am sure we will find something that does not make you feel to… _masquerady_.”  
  
He fell asleep at night deep in thoughts about what Jon could dress up as. He was sure that anything to crazy, containing maks or something would be too much for Jon. He needed a costume that was not actually one, just spooky enough to make everyone else feel like he made an effort and was not simply refusing to dress up.  
It was nice, he thought already half dreaming, that Jon was coming to the party. It was nice talking to him when when he wasn't convinced he had to hate you.

\---

"Please tell me that is tea that you have there."  
  
"Black tea with two pieces of sugar for you, vanilla latte for me."  
  
"I don't understand how anyone could drink coffee. It tastes terrible."  
  
"That... it's so sweet, it does not actually taste like coffee anymore, you know? Wanna taste?"  
  
Jon looks at him with his eyebrows raised, shaking his head and taking a very definite sip of his tea. “I’ll just stay with what I know, alright?”  
  
“I was just offering.” Martin laughs.  
  
Jon realizes that he likes it when Martin laughs. The tiny laughter lines around his eyes. How his broad mouth dissipates and the freckles seem to spread over his face. The two dimples that indicated themselves in his cheeks. He had never really looked at Martin, he was not exactly the person who cared about appearances, his own or those of others for that matter. But Martin looked good when he laughed.  
  
"So... hrmm..." Jon cleared his throat in an attempt to rearrange his thoughts. It wasn't as if they were here for fun. He needed a costume and Martin had said in the morning that he already had an idea. Jon was a little late for their meet up and Martin had obviously bridged the time by getting the tea. That was probably the most pleasant part of the evening.  
  
"Shall we?"  
  
Jon nodded and followed Martin towards the big shopping centre.  
  
"Well, I was thinking about what you could dress up as, and you told me once... that you didn't think you were... cool enough to be a goth."  
  
Jon stared at him.  
  
"That… wait... I have...?"  
  
"You... uh... I guess you talked more or less in your sleep." Martin's cheeks turned red and he looked very attentively at the imprint on his coffee cup, taking a moment.  
  
"Never mind, now... I think you could just dress up as a goth? It's not... too much makeup or too elaborate, you just need a few black things, a little eyeliner... and it will be spooky enough to count for Halloween."  
Jon still stared at him and Martin stopped rambling now, he seemed very embarrassed and Jon noticed that he should probably say something.  
  
"No, well... yes, I think... why not? Thank you, that's... that's a good idea."  
Martin seemed relieved. It was nice to see him smile again and not look like a puppy waiting to be kicked. Jon really should take a moment to stop and think about why it was important to him that Martin smiled. On the other hand Jon would prefer to jump off of a bridge into a lava pool rather than to actually stop and think about his feelings.  
  
"Okay, then... go ahead, I have no idea where in this city you can buy something other than... Shirts and corduroy trousers."

\--

Martin was extremely relieved that Jon agreed with his suggestion. It had occurred to him again last night, remembering the first evening he had helped a half asleep Jon into bed. That he would have liked to be a goth at some point and didn't think it would suit him. Well, Martin would probably be able to see for himself, and Jon agreed and wouldn't feel out of place at a party where everyone was dressed up. They found a black pair of jeans in which even Jon, much too slim, seemed to have an ass - Martin tried not to think too hard about it being really not a bad ass.  
  
It was strange. Ever since Jon had started to act so much more… human, with him falling asleep on his desk, and with them both starting to… not completely hate each other, Martins thoughts have started to sometimes drift into a direction he was not sure he really liked. Of course, there was little denying that he, objectively, found Jon attractive, with his big, dark eyes, the slightly too long hair and a rare, but rather nice smile. But there was not much objective about him now stopping and staring, as he turned to hand Jon something in the dressing room, noticing the other was shirtless. He really, really was to skinny, Martin felt as if he could count his ribs. Jon frowned and grabbed the shirt Martin was holding in his hands, cheeks slightly flushed. He looked beautiful like this.   
  
“S-Sorry.”  
  
“Sorry!”  
  
Martin turned around as quickly as he could and Jon pulled back the curtain to give himself some privacy.  
  
“That… that fits better,” Martin can hear him murmuring from inside the cabin. His face is burning red. _Beautiful_. Where the hell did that come from? The man hand only recently stopped to completely hate his guts and only dragged him here because he was to uncreative to find a simple Halloween costume. 

And yet… Beautiful. Shit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhh, feelings starting to grow :D  
> Next chapter will be the big Halloween party!

**Author's Note:**

> This Chapters song is: The Middle - Jimmy Eat World


End file.
